Petunia plant named ‘Dopetsurage21’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Dopetsurage21’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and mounding to hanging plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large light purple-colored flowers with purplish red-colored venation and dark purple-colored throats; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia X hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPETSURAGE21’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instantplant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier,The Netherlands on Aug. 19, 2020, application number 2020/1950. Foreignpriority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/orApplicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior artexception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior tothe filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filingdate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia X hybrida and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Dopetsurage21’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact, freely branching andearly-flowering Petunia plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of aproprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code numberTT14-007140-002, not patented. The new Petunia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within apopulation of plants of the mutation parent selection in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2020.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germanysince June, 2020 has shown that the unique features of this new Petuniaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dopetsurage21’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Dopetsurage21’ as a new and distinct Petuniaplant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and mounding to hanging plant        habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large light purple-colored flowers with purplish red-colored        venation and dark purple-colored throats.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the mutationparent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petuniadiffer primarily from plants of the mutation parent selection in flowercolor as flowers of plants of the new Petunia are light purple in colorwhereas flowers of plants of the mutation parent selections are white incolor.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia X hybrida‘Kesupite’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newPetunia and ‘Kesupite’ differ primarily in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact than plants of        ‘Kesupite’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are more upright than and not as        trailing as plants of ‘Kesupite’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Kesupite’.    -   4. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of        ‘Kesupite’.    -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia are light purple in        color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Kesupite’ are white in        color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Dopetsurage21’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring in 22-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Petunia production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. andlight levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were twelve weeks old when thephotograph was taken and 25 weeks old when the description was taken. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, 2007, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia X hybrida ‘Dopetsurage21’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary    selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number    TT14-007140-002, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 155B in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright and            mounding to hanging plant habit; freely branching habit with            about ten primary lateral branches each with about eleven            secondary branches developing after pinching; moderately            vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19.5            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 21            cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 70 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 44 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture and luster.—Pubescent; semi-glossy.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 144B.        -   Color, fully developed.—Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,            opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Spatulate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent;            leathery; semi-glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 144B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong; firm. Texture and luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually            about 444 flowers and flower buds developing per plant;            flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during            the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit,            plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after            planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three            days on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.8 cm. Diameter: About 7.3 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Rippled; semi-glossy.            Color: Proximally, close to 144C and distally, close to            N77B.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6.7 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 4.1 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 9.3 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from            throat): About 4.4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 3.2 cm. Petal            shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin:            Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Rippled, glabrous; semi-glossy. Throat            texture and luster: Rippled, glabrous; semi-glossy. Tube            texture and luster: Rippled, pubescent; semi-glossy. Color:            Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to 77C. Petal            lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to 75B. Petal lobe,            fully opened, upper surface: Close to 75A; venation, close            to 71B; color becoming closer to 76D with subsequent            development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 75C; venation, close to 144C; color becoming closer to            76D with subsequent development. Flower throat: Close to            N79C; venation, close to 71A. Flower tube: Close to N77D;            venation, close to 197A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a            tubular star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter:            About 2.8 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Rounded. Base: Decurrent.            Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: When opening            and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 137B. When opening            and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 147B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 2.1 cm. Filament color: Close to            155D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther            color: Close to 11D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:            Close to 11C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 2.1 cm. Style length: About 1.9 cm. Style            color: Close to 144D. Stigma diameter: About 2 mm. Stigma            shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 144B. Ovary color:            Close to 150B. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant: About            140 during the flowering season. Length: About 3.6 mm.            Diameter: About 5.6 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Close to 161B. Seeds: Quantity per flower: About 35. Length:            About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 200A.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain, temperatures    ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA    Hardiness Zone 11.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Petunia have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Petunia plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Dopetsurage21’as illustrated and described.